Ilhan Omar's DNA seized to prove she married her brother
What's the story
Federal prosecutors are reportedly preparing to use DNA evidence to prove US Representative Ilhan Abdullahi Omar committed immigration fraud, NYP reported. The DNA evidence is said to be crucial in substantiating claims that Omar married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in 2009, because she was trying to help him get a green card Border czar Tom Homan said the feds have built "a strong case" that could result in the administration seeking to denaturalize Omar.
Evidence collection
Evidence collected after search of Omar's home
It's unclear whether the DNA was taken before or after Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Omar's Washington, DC home on October 12.
Federal agents were seen leaving the premises with boxes labeled "Seized Property Evidence."
Per NYP, two sources have indicated that this search, along with DNA and other evidence, could lead to conspiracy charges for immigration fraud before a grand jury.
Fraud allegations
Omar has denied allegations since 2016
Omar has denied these allegations since 2016, when she was first running for office as a state representative.
Elmi, who allegedly divorced Omar in 2017, had applied for a marriage-based green card but withdrew his application in 2019 after being asked for more evidence about his marriage to her.
The investigation also includes scrutiny over financial discrepancies in Omar's House disclosures, which resulted in her deflating her net worth by tens of millions of dollars due to unexplained accounting "discrepancy."
Legal implications
Legal experts discuss potential charges for Omar
Legal experts have said that the statute of limitations for providing false information on immigration paperwork is longer than for marrying someone fraudulently.
A marriage fraud conviction wouldn't affect Omar's citizenship as much as a case involving false statements could.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, said prosecutors might pursue conspiracy charges within the 10-year statute of limitations or opt for a civil case with no statute of limitations.
Legal defense
Former immigration official says investigation yielded insufficient evidence
Omar's legal team has criticized the investigation, claiming there is "no legitimate basis" for alleging she violated laws concerning her citizenship status.
They demanded the return of all seized property from the DOJ.
A former immigration official said allegations of Omar marrying her brother were investigated during President Donald Trump's first term but yielded insufficient evidence.